Lim Chieng'Cua and his siblings were born and grew up in asmall mud house much like their neighbors. In time a good manyimprovements were made in the house, but the family really wanted anew one, not additions and improvements. Lim Chieng'Cua once toldme, ''Before we built this new house, we had a mud house with athatch roof. Every time there was a typhoon my father and my olderbrother's wife and I had to stay up all night to tie the roof down so itwouldn't blow off. Oh, how badly we wanted a new house!
This passage really paints a vivid picture of what life was like for Lim Chieng'Cua and his family. It starts by showing that their early home was quite humble, built from mud like many others in their community. Despite adding improvements, their true desire was for a completely new house, which speaks to a deep-seated wish for something more stable and secure. Lim Chieng'Cua’s personal anecdote about the typhoons illustrates not just the physical struggles they faced, but also the emotional weight of living with such uncertainty. This isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it’s about the search for a safe and comfortable home, a feeling many people can relate to.